Turning the Page
by Blanche
Summary: What if Tristan had gone after Rory after the kiss in The Breakup pt 2? Short, one-parter.


Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, no matter how hard I wish for it they aren't going to be mine. It sucks, but that's the way it is. sigh Not too many spoilers in the story, a few from The Breakup pt 2 and perhaps the episode before that. Nothing too serious. --------------------------------------------------------  
  
Turning the Page  
  
"Rory, wait!" he called out while trying to not let her out of sight in the mass of people. He didn't mean for this to happen. She'd just been so damn irresistable sitting there beside him. He knew he had made her life at Chilton a complete hell, and there she was, still trying to make him feel better, in spite of all the things he'd done to her. Just as she reached there door, he managed to caught her arm in his hand and stop her flight.  
  
"Rory", he said stepping in front of her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." Rory found the floor to be really interesting, watching the tiles and not having the courage to raise her head. She didn't know what to say. What do you say when running, crying, away after a kiss. How could she explain this to him. And did she even want to?  
  
"Hey", his voice almost a whisper. "I didn't mean to make you sad. I understand that kissing me is probably the last thing you'd want to do. Rory?". His hand moving under her chin and asking her to raise her head and look him. She complied, her eyes shut and tears running down her face.  
  
"It's not you, Tristan", she croaked. Taking a deep breath and trying to collect herself, she opened her eyes and met his. I've had a lousy couple of days, my mom kept telling me to wallow, but I wanted to be strong. I don't know why, maybe because it's all my fault that everything ended this way and..." choking a sob she felt she was again losing the battle against the tears. Tristan seemed to understand that, because suddenly she found herself in his arms, crying against his shoulder.  
  
"Shh..." he whispered while gently stroking her back. "You don't have to explain." Moving them outside through the door to get Rory away from the loud music and all of the people, Tristan managed to get Rory seated on the steps.  
  
Although she mentally banned herself for being this weak in front of Tristan, somehow his presence managed to soothe her and she thought that maybe he wouldn't try to use this against her in the future. After all they had managed a somehow civil conversation for a while in there, at least up to the kiss. Forcing her mind off the last couple of days she pulled back from Tristan's embrace, drying her tears with her hands.  
  
"I'm sorry", she whispered. "I didn't mean to cry."  
  
"It's alright", he answered. "I understand. You don't have to explain".  
  
Sitting next to each other on the steps, neither of them said anything for a couple of minutes. Rory feeling that she still owed him some explanation for her actions, was feeling slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"I didn't cry", she suddenly blurted out.  
  
At the sound of her voice, Tristan turned his head to look at her. She met his gaze and tried to find the words to continue. Tristan, not wanting to pressure her, was trying to understand what she meant. She didn't cry? Sure looked that way to him. What was she trying to say? Rory seeing his puzzled look continued:  
  
"Yesterday...when Dean broke up with me. I didn't cry then. I don't know...and now when you...when we...It wasn't the...kiss...I just hadn't cried that's all", she mumbled.  
  
Tristan was trying to put the pieces of her mumbled speech together and figuring out that she probably was crying because of that fool that broke up with her, and not because of the kiss, felt somewhat at ease with her explanation. She didn't cry because I kissed her...He pondered this and barely noticed that Rory had raised herself from the steps and was now standing beside him.  
  
"I guess I'd better go home now. I have some wallowing to do", she said. Realizing only now that he was the only one still sitting down, Tristan sprang to his feet.  
  
"Yeah", he said, wondering if he was supposed to understand the wallowing part.  
  
"Well", she started..."Thanks for letting me ruin your shirt, I guess", nodding at the wet spot her tears had created on his shoulder.  
  
"No problem", he smiled at her.  
  
She turned and took a few steps against her car, when she heard him call her name.  
  
"Hey Rory..."  
  
Turing towards him she found him standing just behind her.  
  
"I meant what I said before. About your boyfriend. He's an idiot for breaking up with you. And I am sorry...for the way I treated you."  
  
"I think I'll live", she answered. "And thanks..."  
  
"I know I'm probably the last person you want to spend time with....but do you think we could be...friends?"  
  
"I'd like that", she nodded, a small smile forming on her lips.  
  
"Great", he said, suddenly feeling giddy. Raising his hand to cup her cheek, he smiled. Leaning forward and placing a kiss on her forehead, he stepped back. "Take care...Mary".  
  
Walking towards her car, Rory thought that maybe tonight hadn't been a complete disaster after all, and bringing her fingertips up to touch her lips, she smiled. No, it had been the start of something new. A new chapter in the life of Rory Gilmore. And she kind of liked the start of it.  
  
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Reviews makes my world go round. Especially since this is one of my first attempts writing fanfiction. I'm not a native speaker of English, so I bet there's quite a few mistakes in the text. 


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